Oscillating movement for washing machines



June 5, 1956 P. cussoN 2,748,611

OSCILLATING MOVEMENT FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Dec. 19, 1952 1- Jm I g- J i 7 o 4,

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Pie/71 178801@ United tates Patent O OSCILLATING MOVEMENT FOR WASHING MACHINES Pierre Cusson, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application December 19, 1952, Serial No. 326,813

2 Claims. (Cl. 74--70) The present invention pertains to a novel mechanical movement designed to produce oscllations, particularly in washing machines, although not limited thereto.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a movement for driving the agitator of the washing machine, more rapidly than ordinarily, but with a shorter travel while the mecham'sm itself moves more slowly.

Another object is to actuate the agitator in such manner that it does not touch the clothes, so that the washing is effected by the water alone, thus protecting the clothes from wear and tear.

A further object is to provide a movement that does not wear out quickly and that may have its life doubled by reversing certain of the parts.

A still further object is to provide a movement for washing machines that does not require links, that is it functions without parts that have the jerky movement of links.

Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide a movement as set forth, which is constructed simply, rigidly and economically.

In the accomplishment of these objects, the device comprises a drive shaft actuated by an electric motor to which it is connected preferably by pulleys and belts.

The drive shaft carries a worm that rotates therewith. A pair of gears engage opposite sides of the worm and are formed with oblique teeth so that a plurality of teeth engage the worm at any instant. Each gear is mounted on its own shaft and carries on one face two pins at opposite sides of the shaft and diametrically alined. The pins on either gear are alined at 180 degrees to the pins on the other gear.

Above the worn is mounted a vertical shaft, perpendicular to the drive shaft, designed to carry the agitator for the tube of the washng machine. The lower end of the vertical shaft carries an arm forked at both ends to receive the pins individually as the gears are turned, whereby the arm and the vertical shaft are oscllated as well as the agitator carried thereby.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the following description and in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fgure l is a plan view of the movement; and

Figure 2 is a side View.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characters which are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

As already indicated, the device of the invention comprises a horizontal drive shaft 1 rotated continuously by an electric motor to which it is connected by pulleys and belts in a manner well known and therefore not shown.

Z,748,6ll Patented June 5, 1956 The shaft 1 carries a worm 2 that constitutes a circular rack rotatng continuously with the shaft. At opposite sides of the worm are horizontal gears 3 meshing therewith and having oblique teeth so that several of them engage the worm at any instant.

The upper surfaces of the gears are flat and thus adapted to carry parts as will be described. On each such surface are fixed two vertical pins 4 approximately midway between the center and the crcumference of the gear, at opposte sides of the center or the shaft 5 of each gear. The pins are dametrically alined on each gear, with the alnements on the respective gears lying degrees to each other, as shown in Figure 1.

Above the worm 2 at the meshing region is mounted a vertical shaft 6 that extends into the tube of the washing machine and there carries the agitat-or (not shown). On the lower end of the shaft 6 is fixed, by a set screw 7, an arm 8 extending over both gears 3 and V-forked at both ends at 9. The forked ends are postioned and shaped to receive the pins 4 individually and successively as the gears are rotated in mutually opposite directions by the worm 2. The arm 8 is thereby oscllated and with it the shaft 6 and the agitator carried thereby. The arm oscillates without abrupt stops and shocks or vibration.

The movement of the arm is rapid and its travel is very short. consequently, the agitator is not allowed enough time or displacement to touch the clothes, with the result that the clothes are not mechanically beaten, damaged or worn out. The action is rapid and yet economical.

The shafts 5 are mounted in suitable bearings (not shown), and the movement may be contained in a lubricatng gear box.

The wear on the arm 8 may be equalized and its life prolonged by reversing the arm endwse or sidewise from time to time.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of Construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An oscillatng mechanical movement comprising a shaft, a worm thereon, a pair of gears meshing with said worm at opposite sides whereof and in one plane, a pair of pins on corresponding surfaces of said gears and alined diametrically on each surface at opposite sides of the center thereof, a shaft adjacent to the meshng area of said worm and perpendicular to said surfaces, and an arm on said last named shaft, extending over said surfaces and being V-forked at both ends for receiving said pins individually on rotation of said gears, whereby said arm and its shaft are oscllated.

2. An oscillatng mechanical movement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the alinements of the pins on the respective shafts lie at 180 degrees to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,246,120 Leggett Nov. 13, 1917 1,571,653 Textorius Feb. 2, 1926 2,513,326 Hutchinson July 4, 1950 

